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This super crispy air fryer chicken wings recipe is tastier than you’d get at a restaurant and way more affordable! The golden, deliciously seasoned chicken skin is completely irresistible.
You may also like my Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip or Ultimate Beer Cheese Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
A batch of piping hot, crispy wings for game day is what air fryers were made for. These magical little appliances are like a mini convection oven, meaning that hot air circulates evenly. You also don’t need much oil. The result is the most beautiful crispy chicken!
I prefer a simple seasoning of onion powder and garlic powder to infuse just the right amount of savory flavor and let the juicy chicken shine. You probably have all of the ingredients at home, and there’s no expensive delivery or cold wings at a restaurant!
What you’ll need
- Chicken – break down your wings into drumettes and flats if they didn’t already come that way when you bought them
- Olive oil – the beauty of air fryers is that you use a fraction of the oil compared to deep frying but achieve the same gloriously crisp results
- Seasoning – I use salt & pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
Helpful tips
- Every model of air fryer varies. If you know yours runs a bit hot, cut down on cooking time the first time you make these or take a peek a couple of minutes from when the timer is set to expire, then pop the drawer in for a bit longer if needed.
- Don’t stack the wings on top of each other! Air fry in batches if needed. The air circulation under and on top of them is what makes the skin crisp up.
How to make air fryer chicken wings
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the air fryer and spray with cooking oil. Toss the wings with the seasoning and oil in a prep bowl. Add to the air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Cook, flipping halfway through, until crispy. Serve with ranch dressing.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- There’s plenty of room in my 6-quart air fryer for these wings. Air fryers come in a variety of sizes, and I like this one best since it’s not too big or small.
- Chicken is cooked when it reaches 165F internally. Check it with an instant read thermometer.
- One of these glass prep bowls works well to toss these wings with the seasoning, and flip them with these kitchen tongs.
Substitutions and variations
- You can easily change up the seasoning! Try plain salt & pepper, lemon pepper, smoked paprika, or your favorite rub as well.
- Another option is tossing the cooked wings in a mix of buffalo sauce and butter prior to serving. Use a mix of 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Original + 1/3 cup of melted butter. Then serve with blue cheese dressing.
What to serve with chicken wings
- My Homemade Ranch Dressing and celery and carrot sticks are a classic combo!
- This Chipotle Ranch Dressing, my Cajun Remoulade Sauce, or Easy Yum Yum Sauce are other fantastic options to get creative with dips for chicken wings.
- Make a whole game day spread with other faves like my Quick Chili Recipe or Easy Jalapeño Poppers.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers (if there are any!) in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container.
- The best way to reheat these chicken wings is the same way they were cooked, right in the air fryer. Try 350F for 5-7 minutes as needed to restore them to their former glory.
- It’s not my preference to freeze them, but if you do, thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
If you made these chicken wings in the air fryer, please leave a star rating and review below! How do you like to serve them? Tag me on Instagram if you made this or any S&L recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken wings split into drummettes and flats
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder optional
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder optional
- Ranch dressing for serving
Instructions
- Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray and preheat your air fryer to 400F.
- Dry the wings with paper towels and add them to a fairly large prep bowl. Toss them with the olive oil, salt & pepper (I'm generous with both), and onion powder and garlic powder if using.
- Add the wings to your air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes then flip (use tongs to make it easy) and cook for another 10 minutes or until crispy and cooked through. If your wings are particularly small or large, you may need to adjust cooking time.
- Serve with ranch dressing on the side.
Notes
- Keep in mind air fryers can vary, so if you know yours runs particularly hot, for example, check on the wings a couple of minutes prior to the cooking time elapsing to see if they’re done.
- If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe, you will likely need to cook the wings in batches. Don’t crowd the air fryer basket or they won’t be crispy.
- See more variation ideas in the blog post!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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